


Ghosts of the Past

by WingsofSolitude



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Gen, Other, Vague idea, bare with me please, first attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-06 17:49:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14062173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingsofSolitude/pseuds/WingsofSolitude
Summary: Castiel meets a new friend in Leah. Leah finds an old friend in Dean.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at writing a fic in a very long time (10+ years), and my absolute first time writing anything Supernatural. I'm extremely rusty, so I apologize for any mistakes, and for the shortness of this chapter. I've had this in a file on my desktop for about a month now, wondering if I should give it a chance. I do have an idea of where I want it to go with it.

Castiel woke with a start. He felt cold wet asphalt beneath him, and a chill wind turning the falling rain into small pellets as they stung his exposed skin. He was completely naked. A violent shiver ran through his entire body, and he gasped in pain when he tried to move. Panic settled in his mind; he knew just how vulnerable he was, laying god knows where in a broken, powerless body. He gritted his teeth and again tried to get up, but the most he could manage was to drag himself to the brick wall nearby and lean against it, wincing as pain seared through his back at the contact. Another violent shiver ran through him as he tried to curl up against the rain, there was nothing near him that he could use for shelter. He let out another groan and closed his eyes.

He doesn't remember much since the last time he had seen Sam and Dean, when they had become separated during what was supposed to be a routine witch hunt. He remembers hearing an Old Enochian chant echoing in the night, and hands grabbing him from where he had fallen to his knees before he lost consciousness. After that his memory is blurred.

There was a sudden gasp from somewhere to the left, and hurried footsteps on wet cement approaching. Castiel's eyes flitted back open warily to see a young woman kneel next to him. She had an umbrella in one hand, which she dropped as soon as she got close, and she wore a long dark brown trenchcoat several sizes too big. He couldn't really make out any of her features in the dark.

"What the hell happened to you?" she breathed, but it didn't sound like she expected an answer to that question. He heard her grumble something about her cellphone, and caught the word 'hospital' shortly after, which made him reach out and grabbed her wrist weakly.

"No hospital." She hesitated for only a moment. "Fine. We've got to get you dry and warmed up... Can you stand?"

 _'No'_ his mind protested. "Yes."

"Okay," she said doubtfully. "come on." She put a hand out to help him rise, but took it away again as he flinched back.

It took him several tries, but Castiel was determined. He mustered all of his strength and finally made it shakily to his feet, staggering back against the wall with another low groan. He wanted to protest as the stranger took off her coat and wrapped it around his shoulders, but the warmth of the just-worn coat felt too good to refuse. He wrapped it around himself and was surprised that it covered him. He sighed gratefully before another violent shiver rocked through him.

"My place is just a few doors down," she told him quietly, snatching up her umbrella and holding it over him instead before she wrapped an arm around him to hold him steady. He tried to protest again, to say the coat was enough, but she shushed him.

It was slow and agonizing, but they made their way out of the alley and turned right, shuffling carefully along the sidewalk. The street was void of any people, mercifully. Her apartment was on the first floor, so there were only the two small steps out front and the step to get into the building for him to struggle through. He leaned against the wall so she could use both hands to close the umbrella and dig out her key. Then she carefully supported him again and they went down the hallway to the last door on the left. She opened the door as quickly as she could and helped him inside, straight to the couch where she sat him down.

He sank back into the softness, his eyes closed again as he concentrated on controlling his labored breathing. He could hear the woman moving around him, but he didn't look to see what she was doing. He knew his guard should be up - this was a stranger, she could be feigning kindness... It's happened to him before. But he couldn't muster up the will. Instead, he worked on keeping his mind blank. Castiel felt the couch dip beside him and opened his eyes wearily again to meet her gaze, her brown eyes were soft. She had a simple earth toned blanket, which she silently offered him. He gave her a small smile as he adjusted the blanket so that it was tucked around him. He gratefully accepted the warm mug she offered as well, holding it between his numb fingers. He was still shivering, but they weren't nearly as bad now. She returned the smile.

"I turned on the heat, it should warm up in here fast."

"Thank you, for your kindness."

"No need to thank me, I'm just glad I found you." she assured him. "What's your name?"

"Castiel." he said automatically, not sure why he didn't think to give his usual false name.

"You're named after an angel?" Rose smiled kindly and tilted her head. "I like it. My name's Leah."

Castiel nodded, not meeting her eye. He wasn't sure what he should say to that. "I need to get cleaned up."

"Oh! Of course. I'll grab you a towel and see if I can find something for you to wear." she stood up and hesitated. "Do you need any help?"

"I'm fine." he stood up, a little steadier on his feet this time. "Where is your bathroom?"

 

\---

 

It took him a while, but Castiel managed to get himself clean and dry. Leah scrounged up a pair of black boxers, grey sweatpants and a faded light blue t-shirt that she said belonged to her ex. He put on everything but the shirt, as some of the wounds on his torso had started to bleed again during the shower. He currently sat sideways on the couch with Leah behind him, a first aid kit open on the coffee table beside them as she worked to patch him up.

"Whoever did this to you, they're pretty sick."

Castiel just nodded.

"You don't seem like the type to piss someone off this much."

"In my line of work, creating enemies is unavoidable."

Leah waited for more, but Castiel didn't elaborate.

"I wonder what this is..." she mused, and Castiel felt a finger lightly tracing his wrecked skin. "There's some sort of symbol on your back."

"What does it look like?" he asked hesitantly.

"Um... here," he waited as she pulled out her cell phone and quickly snapped a picture, reaching around his side to show it to him.

"Of course." he breathed. He knew that symbol. So that was why he was so weak. It was old Enochian, made specifically to supress an angel's grace.

"It means something to you. What is it? It looks kind of familiar."

"It's nothing," Castiel said evenly. "Just a strange marking."

"Uh huh." she said, clearly not believing him, but she didn't push it.

She finished with his back and moved around to the front to work on the wounds on his chest and abdomen. He watched her quietly, trying to read the expression on her face as she tried not to cause him any unnecessary pain. Her hands would freeze whenever he winced, and she'd bite down on her lower lip, frowning.

"The front isn't nearly as bad as your back is. I did the best I could to patch you up, but I'm no doctor. I'll get you something for pain in a moment."

"Thank you. I hate to ask for another favor, but may I use your phone?"

"Of course." She unlocked her cell and handed it to him before packing up the first aid kit and all of the trash she'd produced before leaving the room.

Castiel dialed the familiar number and waited, listening to it ring. Once the voicemail message finished playing, he spoke in a low voice.

"Hello Dean, it's Castiel. I'm not sure where I am, or what happened to me, but I'm alive. There is an Old Enochian warding symbol carved into my back, I can't access my grace currently. A young woman found me and has tended to my injuries." He looked up as she walked back in, pills in hand. He asked her quickly for her phone number, and repeated it into the phone before he ended the call.

He placed her cell into her hand, taking the pills she offered with the other. After swallowing them down with a bit of his cooled off tea he met her gaze.

"I hope that was okay, giving your number to my friend. I just didn't know any other way for him to contact me, with my possessions gone."

"It's fine." She smiled. "You must be hungry by now, can I get you something?"

"Yes, please." Castiel nodded, feeling the pang of hunger now that she'd drawn attention to it.

"I'll make you a sandwich." she stood up and headed for the kitchen, calling back over her shoulder. "PB and J okay? I haven't done grocery shopping yet."

"PB and J is perfect." Castiel smiled, remembering how much he'd enjoyed them when he had been human for a time.

He pulled on the t-shirt and sipped at his remaining tea while he waited. It wasn't long before she was back, handing him a plate with the sandwich before grabbing a remote and settling in next to him, flicking on the tv. Castiel followed her lead, settling back with his plate resting on his knee, relieved that the pain he'd had was finally starting to dull. He picked up the sandwich and took a bite, suppressing a satisfied moan as he chewed. This time the silence between them was comfortable, and he began to relax further as the woman beside him channel surfed.

"Are you warm enough?" she asked idly after a little while. "I can get you a blanket."

He swallowed down the last bite of his sandwich and the last of his tea before he answered. "I'm fine, thank you."

"Okay. Listen, I'm going to let you take my bed. It's way more comfortable, and you definitely look like you could use a good sleep."

"No, I couldn't take your bed," Castiel protested, setting his empty plate down on the coffee table. "The couch will be fine."

"I insist." she smiled as she glanced sideways at him. "It's no use, I don't lose arguments."

He chuckled lightly. "Alright, you win." He stretched, wincing slightly, and a yawn escaped him. "I think I'll go get some rest, then."

"Need help?" she asked when he stood and swayed slightly.

"No, I can make it," he shook his head. "Thank you again, Leah, for everything. Goodnight."

"Night Castiel." she smiled, turning her eyes back to the tv.

He made a pit stop in the bathroom before he entered Leah's room. He was too tired to really notice any details as he crawled under the covers, and definitely too tired to think about how unwise it was to go to sleep in the home of someone he only just met after what he'd been through. He was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't seem to be very good at writing long chapters, but here is the next part! Thank you for the kudos! Very much appreciated. <3

_Castiel's arms ached from the strain of being suspended from the ceiling. Cloaked figures moved around him in the candlelight, chanting softly, and occasionally they would reach out to touch him with hand or blade. The spell they were chanting was both familiar and foriegn, a hybrid, probably of their creation, meant to bind the grace of an angel. He struggled uselessly, feeling as though he might dislocate both of his shoulders in the attempt._

_He became aware of the increase in tempo of the chanting, and one of the witches stopped at a table nearby to pick up the angel blade laid out there. She stalked forward, a wicked grin on her face as her eyes glinted in the candlelight..._  
  
Castiel shot up into a sitting position, breathing hard. Cruel laughs and vicious snarls echoed in his ears as he looked around wildly. It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't in a musty room lit by fire, and that he wasn't restrained. He blinked furiously, trying to clear the shadows of the dream from his eyes. He felt softness under him and focused on that as memories of the night before came flooding back. His breathing eventually slowed, and he ran a hand over his face and through his hair with a heavy sigh.

His eyes roamed the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. It was small, the walls a plain eggshell white. A window was on the far wall, covered by heavy curtains. There was a shabby dresser and desk, both covered in clothes and other miscellaneous items, and the closet door was slightly ajar. He rolled out of the bed, groaning in pain as he moved. It wasn't as bad as the night before, at least. Perhaps his grace wasn't completely suppressed after all.

  
He padded across the hall into the bathroom to relieve himself, grumbling about how he certainly hadn't missed this part of being human. He washed his hands at the sink and splashed his face before looking at himself in the mirror. Most of the more minor scrapes and bruises were already gone. He ran his fingers through his wild hair again before heading out to the main room. Leah wasn't there. Castiel frowned for a moment before going into the kitchen. A notebook sat open on the small round table, a message for him was scribbled in messy handwriting.

_'Gone to run a few errands, be back soon. Help yourself. - Leah'_

He made himself another peanut butter and jelly sandwich, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and settled into the couch, turning on the tv. He cycled through the channels absently while he ate, keeping the volume low. He wasn't alone for long, however, he soon heard a key unlocking the door, and the sound of bags rustling. He stood as Leah entered, and went over to relieve her of some of her burden.

  
"Morning!" she said cheerfully.

  
"Good morning."

  
"I went and picked up some groceries, and I picked up some clothes for you. I guessed at your sizes, so sorry if they don't fit well. We can always exchange them if need be."  
"You didn't have to do that," Castiel said, taken aback.

  
"It's no problem, really. Oh!" she dug through one of the bags, pulling out a box. "I bought you a prepaid cellphone, too. It's nothing fancy, but you'll be able to contact your friends if I'm not around."

Castiel took the box she held out to him. "You have gone above and beyond anything I could have expected."

"You're looking better this morning," she said, and he could sense embarrassment as she avoided his last statement. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, yes."

"Good." she nodded, handing him two bags. "There's the clothes, and the other has some personal items I figured you could use. I'm not sure how far away from home you are. Where are you from, anyway?"

He paused, tilting his head. "Where am I now?"

"Bath, Maine."

"I see. I've been staying with my friend and his brother in Kansas. I don't remember traveling while I was..." he trailed off, and she simply nodded again to show she understood.

"Go ahead and get dressed, I've got everything here." she stated as she began unloading groceries and putting them away.

He left her to her work, heading to the bathroom to change. The dark blue jeans and simple white button up top were a little baggy on him, but he didn't mind, the belt helped with that. The sneakers seemed to fit well. He dug into the other bag, finding, among other things, a comb and a tooth brush.

Before long, he was what he considered to be presentable. He'd stowed the items back in the bag when he was done and was now back on the couch, setting up his new phone. Following instructions was a specialty of his. Leah came out in time to help him activate it, and he called, leaving another message for Dean with his new number.

"So, your friend's name is Dean?" Leah asked casually, sitting back on the couch with a leg curled under her. "I knew a Dean once. Good guy."

"So is this Dean." Cas said with a smile.

"How'd you meet?"

"I can't answer that." he said, shifting uncomfortably.

"Okay, no problem." she shrugged, but when Castiel looked at her he could see the curiosity burning in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm not being very forthcoming."

"No, it's really okay, I get it." she assured him. "I helped you, but I'm still a stranger."

He gave her an apologetic smile.

His phone never rang as the day stretched on, but he hadn't expected a quick response from the Winchesters. Every now and then one of them would break the silence and they would talk a little, but they kept it light. It did become uncomfortable when she made a comment on how fast he seemed to be healing. He simply made a non-commital noise and let the conversation die.  
As it began to get dark, she looked over at him. "Cas, I need to leave for a while, I have somewhere I need to be. Will you be alright here by yourself?"

"Of course." 

"Okay, good. I probably won't be back until pretty late, so you'll be on your own for dinner."

"That's fine."

She gave him a smile before she disappeared to get ready for her evening. 

\---

Castiel finished eating another peanut butter and jelly sandwich and wandered into the bathroom, pulling his shirt off to check on his wounds again. He carefully peeled off the bandages one by one, relieved to see they were at least no longer open. He examined the symbol on his lower back, memories of the agony as it was carved coming back to him in a rush. He turned and gripped the edge of the sink, staring at the mirror without seeing anything. He only snapped out of it when he felt the vibration of the phone in his pocket, which he gripped like a lifeline as he pulled it out.

"Dean." he answered, his voice was rough.

"Cas! Man, what happened? One minute you were with us, and the next you were just gone." he could hear the relief in Dean's voice.

"The witches. They used a spell to knock me unconscious."

"And you said they put a symbol on you?"

"Yes, and it's showing no sign of fading. I think they may have used a spell to ensure it stays. I'm not sure how to remove it."

Dean swore and then sighed. "Send us a picture, I'll get Sammy on it. Where are you, we'll come get you."

"Bath, Maine."

"How the hell did you get up there?"

"Dean, I don't remember everything, it's coming back in pieces." he frowned at himself in the mirror. "I don't remember traveling."

"We can be on our way in a half hour. Are you safe?"

"Yes." he said confidently. "This woman, Leah, she's been exceptionally kind to me."

"Well keep your guard up, man. Just in case."

"I will."

Cas heard a click and knew Dean had hung up. He turned on the camera function and angled the phone, snapping a picture of the symbol and sending it to Dean, and then put the phone back in his pocket, pulling his shirt back on. He knew it was getting late, so he went around the apartment turning off lights and the tv before crawling into bed. He lay awake for a while before sleep overtook him.

**Author's Note:**

> If you read the whole thing, thank you! I know it isn't much. I'm open to suggestions, so if you have any tips to help me improve my writing please feel free to tell me! I'm open to learning. :) Leave a comment if you wish!


End file.
